


Departure

by Toshua



Category: NCIS
Genre: Gen, Leaving NCIS, resignation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:48:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28691958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toshua/pseuds/Toshua
Summary: Do you investigate  a missing person who isn't missing?
Comments: 9
Kudos: 71





	Departure

**Author's Note:**

> There are lots of stories out there where DiNozzo walks away from NCIS and the team's reaction in one way or another, from positive to negative. Usually the team knows where he is, what he is doing, etc. But if Tony left without any foreshadowing or sign of foul play, what would the team do? Ladyholder's "New Horizons" sparked the idea and I thank her for writing it.
> 
> All mistakes are mine. I don't own any of these characters. I write for fun because sometime the muse won't shut up.

Gibbs' entry into the bullpen wasn’t noticed. It was early, even for him but his mind had been spinning on an argument from two days prior with his SFA. At the time he’d been livid with anger that DiNozzo had argued with him. Forty-eight hours later he finally conceded (to himself, at least) that DiNozzo had been right. He didn’t believe in apologizing but he was hoping a peace offering of cowboy steaks would clear the air between them.

Gibbs placed his first cup of coffee on his desk as he rounded the corner and turned on his desk light. His automatic motion of turning on his computer stopped when he spotted several items on his desk that weren’t there the night before. The weapon in its shoulder holster and the badge case on top of it were immediately identifiable. The legal size envelope leaning against the weapon with Gibbs’ name printed in bold letters caused Gibbs’ heart to stop.

 _“Oh no”_ he mentally whispered as he picked up the envelope. _“No, no, no,”_ the litany continued in his brain even as he turned the envelope over and opened it. The tri-folded single sheet of NCIS letterhead unfolded as it dropped to his desk. Gibbs picked it up, staring at the typewritten words without seeing them. 

“‘Effective immediately... resignation... NCIS. Paperwork...H.R. Semper Fi. DiNozzo’” There was a buzzing in his ears and for a moment his vision greyed out. _“What the hell?”_ He read the letter completely again, seeing every word. Nothing changed. DiNozzo had quit. The little voice in his head was yelling now. _“What did you do?! What did you say?!”_ Gibbs collapsed into his chair. He sat there, letter in hand, blankly staring at DiNozzo’s badge and weapon. Had their argument been that bad? The final few words he’d shouted came back to him. “My way or the highway. DiNozzo, take your pick.” Did DiNozzo think he meant it? 

The elevator dinged and the rest of MCRT spilled out, laughing at something as they entered the bullpen. “Morning, Boss.” McGee sat his coffee on his desk, dropped his pack behind it. Ziva slid her bag off her shoulder and dropped it on her chair. “Morning, Gibbs.”

Gibbs glanced at them, finally dropping the letter on his desk. “Either one of you hear from DiNozzo last night?”

Tim glanced at Ziva then shook his head. “He left a few minutes before we did. Didn’t say anything.”

Ziva was turning on her computer. “Perhaps he is too hung over, yes? To show up on time?” The comment was casual as if DiNozzo not in the office first was a normal state of affairs.

Suddenly the anger that had been banked just under the surface erupted. They were acting like nothing had happened. Of course, they didn’t know. They hadn’t found a resignation letter on their desk. Gibbs picked up the letter and waved it at them before ripping it in long pieces. “I found his resignation letter on my desk this morning. Do either one of you know about that? Had he mentioned he was planning on leaving?

Tim voiced the first thing that popped into his head. “Maybe it’s a joke?”

Gibbs picked up DiNozzo’s badge and tossed it to McGee. “Does that look like a joke to you, McGee?” He waved the holstered weapon at him. “Does this?” He wasn’t shouting but it was close.

Ziva was on her computer. “He did not leave an email.”

Tim checked his. “Same here. I don’t have anything. Have you talked to Abby?”

Gibbs grabbed his cold coffee after locking the firearm in his desk. “No, I haven’t.” He stomped toward the elevator. He hit the button for the car. He looked over his shoulder. “Both of you, find him.” The elevator doors opened and Gibbs stepped in. 

“Boss, what do you want us to do?” Tim called from his desk.

Gibbs held the door for a second. “You’re an investigator. Investigate!” The door closed, leaving McGee and Ziva standing together with puzzlement all over their faces.

Gibbs stepped into Abby’s lab. To dead silence. That was enough to make Gibbs pause. Abby sitting on her tallest stool, head down and shoulders shaking made him approach her quietly, calling her name softly.

Abby launched herself into his arms. “He’s gone, Gibbs. He left. Did you know he was leaving? Did he tell you? Did he talk to you? Did he tell you why? Why did he leave?” Her questions started to repeat and run into each other as she disintegrated into her word babbles.

“Abbs. Let go. Come on, let go.” Gibbs pried her arms off his neck and pushed her back onto her stool. Her eyes were red and the mascara was running down her face. She sniffed several times and accepted a tissue. He took a moment to answer her questions. “No, I didn’t know. Did he send you an email? What did it say?” She didn’t speak, just pointed to the flat screen monitor to an open email displayed in large fonts. Gibbs didn’t need his glasses to read the text.

_**“Abbs; I’m outta here. HR has my paperwork and my resignation will be in effect by the time you read this. Don’t call, email, text, instagram, send up smoke signals, whatever. I’m going off the grid until I decide not to be. If you go to the apartment you’ll find it empty. The property manager will tell you he has orders to take care of it for at least six months unless I show up in person with different instructions. He doesn’t have my new contact info; neither does Gibbs. When I decide to send it to you I will. Don’t expect that anytime soon. Gibbs, I know you will be reading this. It was time. Our argument a couple days ago just finalized my decision. You need some help, Boss. That last blow to your head did some long term damage. You’re not the man you were five years ago. Get some help and I’m not talking about just talking to Ducky. I’m serious. It’s been interesting, eye opening, educational, terrifying, etc. etc. It has not been fun and there is a list of things that I wish I’d never experienced but I survived it and I’m stronger for it. Take care and stay safe. Tony** _

Abby was watching Gibbs’ face as he read the words on the screen. She reached for his arm when he turned away. “What did you fight about?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Gibbs wouldn’t look at Abby. “He’s gone and I need to deal with it.”

“What about the team? Do they know? Ducky, Jimmy?”

“Tim and Ziva do. Don’t know about the others.”

“Jimmy and Tony are close. Let me check with him.” Abby punched some keys on her keyboard. Immediately a picture of the interior of Autopsy popped up in the corner of her monitor. “Jimmy! Did you get an email from Tony? Did you know he was leaving?” 

Jimmy Palmer appeared in the frame. “Good morning, Abby. Yes, Tony and I had coffee yesterday morning and he told me his plans. He said the rest of the team would find out today. Guess you found out.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Abby cried. “I would have talked him out of leaving. I would have changed his mind.”

“Which is why I didn’t tell you. You would have guilted him into staying. Abby, he has a right to be happy, a right to his own life.” Jimmy shifted his eyes to Gibbs. “Agent Gibbs, he was really tired of everything that was happening the last few months. The last argument the two of you had was the final straw. I’m sorry he left and I’m going to miss him.”

“Do you know his plans?” Gibbs glared through the camera.

“No. He says he’ll be in touch, but it will be awhile. I get the feeling he’s heading out of the country.”

Gibbs turned and stormed out. Abby quickly signed off and followed her boss. Gibbs’ temper hadn’t improved any by the time he shot out of the elevator into the bullpen. “Talk to me! What do you know?” His blue eyed stare penned his agents at their desks.

Abby paused at Tony’s desk and decided standing near the stairs leading to the mezzanine might be the safest place. McGee shot a look at Ziva before answering Gibbs.

“Hmm, we checked all local airports, Amtrak and the bus station. He hasn’t bought a ticket on any transportation out of DC.”

Ziva chimed in. “He hasn’t rented a car, bought a ticket on one of the ferries, or taken a local cab somewhere.”

“Did you check under his undercover aliases?” Gibbs tossed his empty coffee cup.

“Undercover?” McGee came out from behind his desk.

“Aliases?” Ziva joined McGee in front of Gibbs. They exchanged confused looks. Behind them Abby groaned and flopped into the chair behind Tony’s desk. Her hands flew over the keyboard keys. The plasma screen lit up and multiple passports and driver licenses appeared. Each with DiNozzo’s photo. Each with a different name, even if the initials remained the same. Five complete sets.

“We, huh, we didn’t believe him when he said he spent time undercover.” McGee uncomfortably stated.

"We thought he was joking. Some of his stories were tall-tales, yes?” Ziva met Gibbs’ gaze without flinching.

Abby spoke up. “How many years have you been working with him? How many stakeouts have you pulled? Didn’t you talk?”

“Course we did.” Tim turned to Abby. “Movies, sports, dozens and dozens of his one nightstands. After awhile you just tuned it out.”

Gibbs rolled his eyes and wished for coffee. His glaring at his agents was interrupted when Vance trotted down the stairs to the bullpen.

“What’s this about DiNozzo resigning? HR just sent me his paperwork. Gibbs, did you know anything? Why did he quit?”

Gibbs shook his head. “His resignation was on my desk this morning. I’m having the team trying to find him.” 

Vance nodded. “Let me know the results. If you don’t have him back in 48 hours I’ll accept his resignation as final and start looking for his replacement.” He turned around and left as abruptly as he arrived.

Gibbs sighed and glared some more. “You heard the man. We have 48 hours. You think you’re top notch investigators? Prove it. I’m going for coffee.” He stomped out of the bullpen, ignoring everyone around him.

Abby waited until the elevator doors closed behind Gibbs before she left Tony’s desk. “You might want to start with his real profile, not the one he talks about.” She left them staring at her back as she left.

Ziva and Tim went back to their desks. Tim immediately tackled his keyboard. “Accessing Tony’s finances.”

“I’ll pull up his social media information. Perhaps he has put something there that will give us a clue as to his plans.” Ziva wasn’t the wiz on the computer that McGee was but with time she was learning.

“Tony’s not on social media. He doesn’t even have an online dating profile. Says it has no privacy. I actually agree with him. I don’t have a profile on social media either.”

“Not even your writing persona?” Ziva shot a smirk at the other agent.

“That’s different. I only have the bare minimum the publisher wants. It doesn’t link back to me no matter how you hack it. I made sure of that.” Tim kept typing. “Did you know anything about Tony’s English family? For that matter, what about his Italian family.?”

“He’s told me some stories, tall tales about Earls and Lords on his mother’s side. I never gave them much thought. Senior is a charmer and has told me his family owns lots of property in Italy. He has offered to take me there anytime I would like to see it. Tony says his father is a con man and not to be believed. How do you say; the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree?”

“Tony’s no con man. He’s the most honest man I’ve ever met.”

Ziva snorted. “Honest? Since when?”

"I’ve never known him to lie about the things that matter. He’ll stretch the truth, play a role, mis-direct but not lie.” Tim looked at his screen with surprise. “Did you know he’s wealthy? There’s all sorts of accounts under his mother’s name. Why is he even working?"

“Because he believes in giving back.” Gibbs came from around a wall, new coffee cup in hand. “What have you found?”

Ziva got up from her desk. “Nothing useful. How does someone just disappear without a trace? He hasn’t used any credit cards, no calls on his personal cell phone. Has he done this before?”

Tim joined Ziva, leaning on the front of his desk. “He hasn’t touched any of his bank accounts under any of his known ids. Of course, with his money he probably has a whole other identity that we don’t know about. The Paddington accounts are really encrypted with all sorts of alarms. I'm sure he did that after Senior tried to access them.”

Gibbs sipped his coffee, racking his brains for any tidbit of information Tony might have let slip over the years. “Have you tried contacting Senior?”

Ziva nodded. “Emails and phone; no response. McGee tried tracing his cell phone and it came up ‘disconnected’, which I think means that it's turned off.”

“What about his frat brothers? Or his previous police departments. Or the Y where he plays basketball?”

The agents remained silent, exchanging glances. Gibbs slammed his hand on a desk.“What is wrong with you?! This is a missing person case and both of you are acting like you don’t have a clue on how to do your jobs!”

“Boss, technically Tony’s not missing. He left of his own free will.” McGee stuttered. “He resigned.”

Gibbs got into McGee’s face, pushing a finger into his agent’s chest. “I didn’t accept his resignation. Senior Field Agent Anthony DiNozzo is not at his desk! You will treat his disappearance as a missing person case until I tell you otherwise! Have I made myself clear?”

McGee tried to meet the furious blue eyes without looking away but he couldn’t do it. He finally nodded and stepped back, trying to create enough space that he could return to his desk. Gibbs turned on Ziva, his anger still pulsing. “Do you know how to do your job, Probationary Agent David? Or have you spent all your time here pretending to be an agent?”

Ziva didn’t retreat. “I know how to handle a missing person case Gibbs. Do I have permission to search DiNozzo’s apartment and vehicle?” 

Gibbs pulled out his wallet and dug out a key tucked into a corner and handed it to Ziva. “Make sure you check with the building manager before you unlock the apartment. I don’t want to get a call about you breaking and entering. Don’t make a mess.”

Ziva took the key and nodded. She grabbed her gear and with a glance at McGee who was pounding away at his keyboard headed for the elevator. 

Satisfied that he had been suitably intimating to his agents Gibbs headed for autopsy. He needed to talk to Palmer. Autopsy was silent. Ducky wasn’t in his office and Gibbs interrupted Palmer wading through a large container of supplies. Palmer wasn’t intimidated by Gibbs since he was officially a MD and had survived years of Gibbs in all his foul moods. He put aside his tablet and placed the lid on the tote before turning to give Gibbs his attention.

“What did DiNozzo tell you about his plans? And when did he tell you?” Gibbs tossed his empty coffee cup and crossed his arms as he waited for an answer.

“Agent Gibbs. Like I told Abby, we had coffee yesterday. He told me he was leaving and that he would be in touch at a later date.”

“He didn’t leave a phone number, an email, a po box, anything?”

Palmer shook his head. “No. I didn’t press. He stated he’d be out of touch for several months and not to worry.”

“Did he seem nervous? Upset? Anxious?” Gibbs paced back and forth in front of one of the stainless steel tables. 

Palmer watched the frustrated man.“He seemed a little excited, but nothing outrageous. We talked about securing his apartment,  
the garage where his car is being stored. He left that information with me in case something happens.”

“Did he give you any idea where he was headed? A new job? A location? Meeting someone?”

Palmer dropped his head as he pondered the questions. He finally shook his head again. “No, Agent Gibbs. He gave me a hug, wished me and my family well and walked away.” Palmer pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “Honestly, he seemed relieved to be leaving. I know you had a fight with Tony a couple days ago that really upset him. I don’t know the topic and I don’t want to know. But whatever it was, it definitely led him to make a really fast decision. Or he’d been thinking about it for a while and he’d reached a breaking point.”

Gibbs sighed, his shoulders slumping before straightening. “Thanks for your help.” He turned to leave the cold room.

“Agent Gibbs.” Palmer hesitated. “Tony’s my friend. I’m going to miss him. But he has a right to have a life. If that life means walking away from NCIS then I wish him all the luck in the world.”

Gibbs paused, then nodded without turning around. He walked back to the elevator lost in sad thoughts. He rode up to the bullpen and as the doors split he stepped out, determined to try a little harder for a little longer to find his SFA. “What did you find?” Gibbs paused at Tim’s desk.

“Uh, nothing. He hasn’t contacted any of his frat brothers in weeks. The Y only said he played some basketball last week but none of their staff remember him saying anything about leaving.”

Gibbs nodded then went to his own desk. The envelope that contained Tony’s resignation was still on his desk. After a moment Gibbs picked it up and dropped it into the trash. Gibbs looked over at Tim. “Keep looking.”

“Ziva called. Tony’s furniture and piano are covered with dust covers. His DVD collection is gone but the rest of his things are still there. She thinks just casual clothes are missing, maybe a couple suits, but his closets are full.”

“What about his gun safe?”

“She didn’t mention it.”

“If he didn’t take it he probably left it in a safe deposit box. Contact his bank and see if he has one.”

“We don’t have a reason to be able to open it if he has one.”

“I know that. But if he has one and it is paid for that also confirms he’s not leaving permanently.”

Tim went back to his keyboard. “Boss, how can Tony disappear so completely so quickly? It’s like he’s dropped off the planet.”

Gibbs was looking at his monitor. "Over the years he's worked some of the deepest undercover cases NCIS and police departments have handled. I'm sure he learned things that you would never think of and he's using that knowledge. I know I’m missing something that’s probably so simple that I need to be head slapped when I figure it out.”

The conversation was interrupted by Ziva’s return. She dropped her bag behind her desk and sagged into her chair. She finally answered Gibbs’ unasked question. “Nothing. It’s closed up for a long absence. I talked to one of his neighbors who was given a goldfish from Tony. She just said that Tony was going to be gone for awhile and she was supposed to take care of the fish.”

“Was his gun safe there?” Tim asked.

“I didn’t see it. His floor safe was empty.” She looked at both men. “I take it that you haven’t found anything.”

“No.” Gibbs stated. “I am open to suggestions. I’m reluctant to put out a national BOLO.”

“Could he be working for some other agency that requires absolute secrecy?” Tim mused. “Homeland, CIA, DOD, NSA? Would he take a long term undercover without telling us?”

Gibbs looked at Tim, surprise all over his face. “Yes, he would. That’s how he brought down the mob in Philly. Even Jenny tried to use him as an undercover operative before she was killed.” Gibbs was up and leaning against his desk, arms crossed. “If he’s gone deep undercover the last thing we need to be doing is trying to find him.” Gibbs was nodding to himself. “Vance obviously didn't know he was leaving; wonder if he even knows?”

Ziva disagreed. “Surely he would trust one of us with his secret in case of an emergency. Every undercover operative has a handler.”

“But we haven’t been looking at his leaving that way.” Tim spoke up. “If he is on an undercover mission and we are looking for him, we could be putting him in jeopardy.”

Gibbs felt a great weight lift off his shoulders. Tony would be back. He knew that now. He would keep the home fires burning. He smiled for the first time all day. “So, we quit looking. We won’t jeopardize whatever he is involved in unless he calls. But I am going to have a quiet conversation with Morrow and a few others to see if I can get a confirmation.”

Ziva had to have the last word. “Unless we’re wrong.”

Late that night Gibbs stared at his full glass of bourbon. What if Tony really was gone of his own free will? His moment of clarity from earlier in the day had leached away into the darkness. The silence was deafening


End file.
